What's currently going on with the KATRIN experiment

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In summary, the KATRIN experiment began running tests in October 2016 and is expected to have reliable results within the next four years. While the KATRIN website does not currently have any listed publications or conference talks about results, recent publications and presentations can be found through a Google search or by contacting the experiment directly. Additionally, the experiment's homepage and list of publications can be helpful resources for finding relevant information.
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Buzz Bloom
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Does anyone know what's currently going on with the KATRIN experiment. I remember from discussions sometime last year that KATRIN was expected to have a result for the average mass of three kinds of neutrinos by the end of 2016. I just looked at the KATRIN site and there are no listed publications or conference talks about results.
 
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  • #2
Did you check Wikipedia?
The experiment began running tests in October 2016, with measurements scheduled in 2017.
With a reference from October 2016.

I don't know where your expectation of results in 2016 comes from.
 
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  • #4
Hi @mfb and @fresh_42:
Thank you for straightening out my mistaken memories, for which I apologize.

I think my confusion was that I remembered the October 2016 date for starting experiments as the date results would be available. Also, I did not see anything at the KATRIN site announcing the start of their experiments.

Regards,
Buzz
 
  • #5
Experiment websites can be horribly outdated. Recent conference presentations are better information sources.
 
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  • #6
H i @mfb:
Thanks for your helpful post.

It seems that in this case Wikipedia, although I understand PF does not consider it to be a reliable resource, would have been, had I thought of it, quite useful. In general, if I am interested in the work at a particular experimental site, can you suggest an on-line search method, other than Wikipedia, for finding relevant conference presentations. The KATRIN site has a page were they list their conference presentations, but the latest listed items there are six presentations from 2014.

Regards,
Buzz
 
  • #8
Google often finds presentations if you search for the experiment name (plus some other keyword if the name is something general like "KATRIN", e. g. "katrin neutrino") and the year you are interested in, or limit the search results to some range.

If you know the major conferences in the relevant field, you can directly go to the conference websites as well.
 
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1. What is the KATRIN experiment?

The KATRIN (Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino) experiment is a large-scale physics experiment located in Karlsruhe, Germany. Its main goal is to measure the mass of the neutrino, an elusive subatomic particle that has been difficult to study due to its weak interactions with matter.

2. Why is the KATRIN experiment important?

The measurement of the neutrino's mass is crucial for understanding the fundamental laws of physics and the structure of the universe. It could also potentially lead to new insights into dark matter and the Big Bang theory.

3. How does the KATRIN experiment work?

The KATRIN experiment uses tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, as its source of neutrinos. The tritium is heated and converted into a gas, which is then directed towards a large spectrometer. The spectrometer measures the energy of the electrons emitted by the tritium decay, which can be used to calculate the neutrino's mass.

4. What is the current status of the KATRIN experiment?

The KATRIN experiment began taking data in 2018 and is expected to continue until 2024. Currently, the experiment is in its commissioning phase, where scientists are fine-tuning the equipment and procedures to ensure accurate measurements. The first results from the experiment are expected to be released in the coming years.

5. What are the potential implications of the KATRIN experiment's results?

The results of the KATRIN experiment could have a significant impact on our understanding of the Standard Model of particle physics and could potentially lead to the development of new theories. It could also have practical applications in fields such as energy production and medical imaging.

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